Capítulo 109: graduation
For the graduates of the year 1991, the 72nd class to graduate since the school's inception, they all knew they would always have a place to return to at Notre Dame High School.
They wore blue robes, characteristic of student graduations at the time. The auditorium, commonly used for rehearsals, events, and theater productions, was adapted for the 48 students participating in the senior year graduation, along with a few family members per student, a maximum of two per person, due to the limited public space available. Thomas Carson had the misfortune of not participating, waiting at the back entrance.
The colored glass windows high above diffused with reverberating white lights illuminating the entire room. The usual photos were the staging for most parents. They took photos while receiving diplomas and posed in the official photo area with robes and mortarboards. Billy received his diploma and took the appropriate poses, from the entrance photos to receiving the diplomas, and later took more photos.
The ceremony lasted a total of three hours from the morning, nearly reaching noon. In the distance, he saw Brandon's father and Connor with a tall, strong-looking woman. They exchanged warm hugs.
-How are you? - Alice said beside him, her dark blue robe covering her entire body.
-I'm doing the best I can. Congratulations on graduating, - Billy replied.
-Congratulations to you too. I'm throwing a farewell party for some friends who will be heading to other universities in the country, - Alice said.
-Of course, I'll be there. I hope Alice's famous house parties are as good as you've described them at the table, - Billy said.
Many times, they've talked about the various activities they've had at her parties—loud music, plenty of drinks to keep the fun going all night, and of course, beautiful women.
-Well, the basketball team won't be coming. They're banned from my house, and the girls know that well. Austin is a damn idiot. The damn guy is going 300 kilometers away, which is the only thing that makes me happy, - Alice said.
-I still don't understand your justified hatred for your ex-boyfriend, - Billy said.
-Don't even mention him. All I can say is that he's not to my liking. The party starts at 6 p.m. tomorrow. Be there early; I don't like tardy people. Claudia will call you today. We talked late last night, and she said she'd call you. Please, I think you should answer her. She tends to retract whatever she told you the week before. You haven't responded to her calls in months. She needs you! - Alice exclaimed.
Billy couldn't help but make a face.
-I'll do my best, - he said.
-Do more than your best, take care of yourself, - Alice said, hugging him before walking over to her parents, who were talking to other parents, relatives of some of Alice's friends.
His grandparents didn't fail to congratulate him and kiss him. His father gave him a small, brand-new car with the best available systems at the time. He intended to use it once he completed his driving course near his grandparents' house in Austin, Texas, so he could commute to university on his own. Later, they would go to Massachusetts to visit his grandfather's siblings while Billy worked with Joe Kubert on their new collaborative comic.
-It's one of the best for beginner drivers. Always remember to wear your seatbelt, - Richard Carson said.
-Of course, Grandpa, I'll do that and more. I'll be careful, - Billy said, inspecting the car. It was nice, even though it was somewhat outdated. Americans always had the latest technology in these industries.
-Thank you, Grandpa, - Billy said.
-Your father paid for the whole car, son. I only paid for the custom upholstery. See the backrest? Your back will never hurt if you use it. I also bought the dice hanging from the rearview mirror. Your grandma bought an emergency kit and an extra battery for those occasions that are beyond our reasoning, - Richard Carson explained, opening the trunk and pointing out the emergency kit and extra batteries in a small folder. The car was beautiful, and the smell of barbecue lingered around the house. His father had already started grilling the meat. He saw his grandma in the kitchen, chopping onions and tomatoes, and preparing a delicious guacamole, potatoes, and meat. Billy's graduation celebration was about to begin.
-Tomorrow, I'll take you for a spin. Your father tells me he's taught you some things. Tomorrow, we'll go for a spin around the block. Your grandpa wants to see what you know, - Richard said.
His father came to the front with a beer in hand and a square wooden table to place in the front yard. - Come on, let's help your father with the table, - Richard said.
The feast of food included everything from Grandma's special guacamole to tomato salad, mashed potatoes, grilled meat, sausages, chicken, and fried eggs. It was a delicious meal, and nobody could deny the grandma's seasoning, which left them captivated by the delicious dishes.
After a family meal, Thomas and Richard engaged in casual conversation while Grandma cleared the plates, washed them, and tidied up the kitchen.
During this summer season, Billy took some time to assess his situation. There was only one pending release, Shaman King, and many ideas had been swirling in Billy's mind since he learned that Disney and Warner had begun to interfere with his decisions, not allowing the growth he had hoped for.
[Billy Carson:
Drawing: 29.02
Literature:27.03
Acting: 26.48
Points: 00
[Drawing Store
Purchased:
- Samurai Jack: 15 points
- Hellboy: 22 points (1993)
- Slam Dunk: 30 points (1990)
- Yu Yu Hakusho: 40 points (1992)
- Dexter's Laboratory: 21 points (1994)
- Rugrats: Adventures in Diapers: 25 points
- Pinky and the Brain: 15 points (1992)
- Animatics: 15 points (1992)
- Johnny Bravo: 15 points (1994)
- Rurouni Kenshin (Samurai X): 25 points (1994)
- Neon Genesis Evangelion: 20 points (1994)
- Doom: 15 points (1993)
- The Lion King: 30 points (1991)
- Hercules: 15 points (1997)
- Shaman King: 20 points (1997)
- The Iron Giant: 15 points
- Power Rangers: 20 points
- Trigun: 15 points (1995)
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame: 15 points
- Wolfenstein 3D: 15 points (1993)
- Toy Story: 25 points (1995)
- Recess: 10 points (1995)
- The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy: 15 points (1996)
- Game of Thrones: 1995
- Ice Age: 1997
- Serial Experiments Lain: 1998
- The Walking Dead: 1995]
The plan to acquire certain TV series to shape his future animation program was taking shape, to find talented animators to help bring these series to the airwaves. Billy's plan involved creating animated series for "Recess," "Dexter's Laboratory," "Billy and Mandy," and "Samurai Jack" as the first shows for his future television channel, Luxtoons, a nod to Cartoon Network. From there, he hoped to fill his television catalog with two more shows, such as "Trigun," "Shaman King," and "Rurouni Kenshin" (Samurai X).
Billy aimed to secure licenses for some TV series like "Dragon Ball," "Sailor Moon," and "Captain Tsubasa," along with the animated movies that Pixar would release that year. Additionally, he planned to establish a 2D animation production company, which would be sufficient for his initial program lineup.
-Hey, Billy, there's a call for you, - his grandmother called from the kitchen window, as Billy lay in the backyard soaking up the afternoon sun.
-I'll be right there, Grandma,- Billy replied, getting up from his warm rest on the grass. He entered the back door of the house, where his grandmother was washing dishes. She pointed to the living room.
-Hello, - Billy greeted, a bit apprehensive. He hadn't spoken to Claudia since late February.
-Hi, Billy, - Claudia's voice came through the phone. - It's been a while since we talked, - she continued, following the conversation thread.
-Yes, it has been a while, - Billy replied, sitting down on the couch. He fixed his gaze on a point, his eyebrows furrowed.
Claudia waited for him to speak, but he remained silent.
-I'd like you to forgive me; I'm a fool, okay? I only saw a part of the problem, and I ended up suffering a lot. I didn't want to push you away; it's just that I was scared. You, more than anyone, know how much I hated moving to Europe to live. School has been awful; I barely understand the language, well, languages. It's normal for them to speak German in one class, Italian in another, English in another, and it simply drives me crazy, -- Claudia confessed, taking a deep breath. She was crying again. -- Forgive me; things here are strange. I don't think there's a chance for us to meet again, but I hope we can talk more. -
Billy finally responded, - Claudia, I understand how difficult it must be for you, and I'm sorry if I didn't fully grasp your situation before –
-but-
-I still don't understand your reasoning, Claudia. You pushed me away for an immature reason. I realized that our relationship wasn't the same as before, and now I accept it. I just hope you'll be considerate of me. I didn't feel like talking to you much. I missed you for months. It's too late now, - Billy replied.
-Claudia, please understand, I was just upset. I vented on you. Can you forgive me? By the way, congratulations on graduating, - Claudia said.
-Thanks, now I just have university left, - Billy said.
-Can you forgive me? - Claudia asked again.
Billy didn't respond; he didn't know what to say.
-Just take care of yourself. Don't worry about me. We'll see each other later. I may travel to California next year, - Claudia said.
"Thanks, call me if you need anything," Billy replied, feeling like an idiot inside. But it was necessary to cut this off.
He sat there, looking at the darkened room. For the winter season, he would publish "Game of Thrones." All he had to do was sit down and write, and from there, his path to success would continue to soar to the sky.
...
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